OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics and regularity of adverse drug reaction (ADR) in a third grade class A hospital, and to provide reference for rational drug use in clinic. METHODS: A total of 813 cases of ADR reported to National ADR Monitoring by the hospital during 2013-2015 were summarized and analyzed retrospectively in terms of age, gender, route of administration, drug type, organs or systems involved in ADR, clinical manifestation and outcome. RESULTS: Among 813 cases of ADR, there were 391 male (48.09%) and 422 female (51.91%). Patients aged more than 60 were with high incidence of ADR, involving 347 cases (42.68%). Among routes of administration, most ADR cases were caused by intravenous administration, involving 747 cases (91.88%). Among all drug types, the number of ADR cases caused by anti-infective drugs was the most, involving 382 cases (46.99%); cephalosporins took up the highest proportion, being 38.22% (146 cases). Organs or systems involved in ADR were mainly skin and its appendants, involving 434 cases (53.38%). CONCLUSIONS: ADR monitoring should be strengthened for elderly patients receiving anti-infective drugs intravenously so as to reduce the occurrence of ADR and guarantee medication safety.